From Startup to Scale: Real Lessons from Hardtech Leaders
One of the highlights of the FORGE Spring Startup Showcase was the panel conversation led by FORGE President and Executive Director Laura Teicher on what it really takes for hardtech startups to move from startup to scale.
The discussion brought together David Lu of Laminar, Suchit Jain of Dassault Systèmes, John Hughes of CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen), and Jack Sousa of Wiggin and Dana LLP for a practical conversation on customers, people, cash, partners, contracts, supply chains, and the real work it takes to build a company that can grow.
“Begin with one value add and do that really well with your customers. Then you have the trust and the opportunity to expand.”
David Lu, Co-Founder and CTO, Laminar
“The network you have is very important. Lean on FORGE, lean on SolidWorks, lean on your suppliers in those early days.”
Suchit Jain, VP of Strategy & Business Development, Dassault Systèmes
“Cash flow isn’t a metric that you look at after the fact. Cash flow is something to be actively managed.”
John Hughes, Principal, CLA
“Anything that you think might be hard now gets harder and worse later.”
Jack Sousa, Partner, Wiggin and Dana
We also appreciated the closing remarks from C.A. Webb, who captured so much of why this community matters: “There’s nothing more fun than hanging out with people that make real things that you can touch and use, that solve real problems and make your life better.”
Her remarks were a fitting close to the evening and a reminder of why 10 Prospect Street in Union Square was such a great setting for the Showcase, surrounded by a growing ecosystem of hardtech, climate tech, physical AI, biotech, manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and community.
Thank you to David, Suchit, John, and Jack for sharing your time, experience, and honest advice. Thank you to Laura for leading such a strong conversation, and thank you to C.A. Webb and the USQ team for helping welcome us into such a great space.
These are the kinds of conversations, connections, and places that help hardtech companies build, grow, and scale.
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